Its Never Really Over Till Its Over
by Heart-Crossed
Summary: A Liason twist to Jason's death. Secrets, lies, deception...features Elizabeth at her best, Jason at his worst, and everything in between. Presumed dead, Jason has the ability to do what he couldn't do when he was alive. Reclaim his life. Also features an alive AJ, a manipulative Monica, and the Quatermaines at the peak of their deceptive abilities. R
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Anything remotely recognizable as being a part of the cannon General Hospital.**

**Claiming any artistic creativity thought up by yours truly. Copy Writers be fore shamed.**

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**ITS NEVER REALLY OVER TILL ITS OVER**

Standing outside the service being held for Jason, she felt like he had when they had lost Emily and was banned from her funeral. It was hard, painfully so, to have to sit through the entire ceremony from outside the church doors. She doesn't know how he managed to do it all those years ago, but the pain she feels is just overwhelmingly unbearable.

She had to be there, though. She had to say goodbye to their past and to their love before she said goodbye to Port Charles for good. With Jason gone, she had nothing left to keep her in that town. Her relationship with her grams is barely there, she couldn't take being around her brother now that Jason's gone, not after everything that's happened.

Her entire life, her boys' lives, are packed away in shipping boxes, awaiting the movers to load them into their trucks and transport them cross country to her new home. Everything was set, all she had to do now was board a plane with her boys and leave Port Charles in the past for good.

As the ceremony came to an end, Elizabeth made a silent exit as the others began to rise out of their seats, she couldn't risk being caught in the church. Now that Sam has finally accepted Jason's dead, she has decided that its all Elizabeth's fault. All the wasted time, time that could have been spent with her husband, Sam has decided that its all Elizabeth's fault for getting in the middle of their marriage.

With her boys patiently waiting for her at her Grams, Elizabeth makes her way through the town, to every last place that mattered. Jake's. Kelly's. The Boxcar. Tears frozen in her eyes the entire time. Spending as much time as she could at every location, though it wasn't much, saying goodbye to the memories.

The Winding Road. The Bridge to Nowhere. The statues. Heart breaking, tears falling, this was the hardest goodbye she's ever had to make. As she makes her way back to her car, a quote pops into her mind, making her angry to her core. How lucky am I to have known someone it was so hard to say goodbye to.

She's so tired of knowing people that was so hard to say goodbye to. She wants to know someone that she'll never have to say goodbye to. To find someone like that, well, that will be something to feel fortunate about. Not someone that made it hard to say goodbye. She hates goodbyes.

"Elizabeth, dear..." her grams tries to say something, but she just couldn't fathom what to say. It was no secret that Jason wasn't one of her favorite people.

"Thanks for watching the boys, Gram." Elizabeth says simply, picking up a sleeping Aiden in her arms before helping Cameron with his things. "I'll call you when we get settled into the new place."

"Do you really think its necessary for you to leave town?"

"After all these years...yeah, Gram." Elizabeth shakes her head. "Its more than necessary."

"I'm sorry you believe that."

"Take care of yourself, Gram." she says softly, hugging her grandmother. "And watch out for Steven for me...we both know he needs it from time to time."

"I will." she promises, smiling slightly in spite of her feelings. "Be safe."

"Always am." Elizabeth could taste the acid in those words but ignores it, taking her boys and leaving her Gram's home.

Securing her boys in the backseat of her car, she tosses their things into the trunk before getting into the driver's seat and heading to the house. She'll grab the luggage and then they'll be off. The movers had the key to the place and had complete access to their things. As much as she wanted to be there while they packed it all up into the truck, she just couldn't be. It hurt too much.

"Mom?" Cameron speaks for the first time since she picked them up. "Do we have to go?"

"I thought you were happy to be moving?" Elizabeth counters, turning to look at him after she parked the car in the driveway.

"I was." he admits, lowering his eyes to his game. "But...won't Jake feel all alone?"

"No, sweetheart." she shakes her head. "Gram's here and so is Uncle Steven. A lot of people that loved him will visit him all the time."

"But we won't."

"Baby, no matter where we go, your brother will never be too far away." she says softly, reaching back to hold his hand. "Your brother is wherever you are...in your heart...in your memories. We're never too far away, okay?"

"Okay." he shakes his head. "Can I help get the bags?"

"Of course, sweetie."

Taking her boys down, Elizabeth lays Aiden down on the couch, surprised that he hasn't stirred from his sleep yet. A part of her was glad that he wasn't awake, he'll be confused enough as it is, he didn't need to watch them load their stuff into the car.

With the help of her son, Elizabeth loaded their luggage, the necessities, before loading them back into the car to head to the airport. This had to be the right move. Staying in Port Charles just wasn't a viable option anymore. Too many painful memories, too much loss, just too much for her to bear.

"H-How is this possible?" Spinelli stutters through, unable to put a coherent thought together.

"There's no time to explain, right now." one of Jason's long time friends urges him. "You have to stop her from leaving. Can you do that?"

"I...how?" Spinelli shakes his head, confused beyond belief. "She's scheduled to fly out in less than an hour."

"I don't care how you do it. Just do it! She can't leave now."

"O-Okay." Spinelli grabs his laptop, hacking into the air traffic control. "I'll do my best."

Typing away at the speed of light, Spinelli is able to hack into the air traffic control tower and delay Elizabeth's flight. With the first step out of the way, he books it to the airport, praying to all that's holy that he's able to pull it off. The last time he saw Elizabeth, she had been so adamant in leaving that he wasn't sure he'd be able to stop her.

"I'm sorry, ma'am." the airport customer service apologizes. "They're not saying why the flight was delayed, just that it was."

"I can't believe this." Elizabeth groans, pacing back and forth. It wasn't supposed to be this damn hard.

"Mom?" Cameron pulls her out of her head space. "Are we leaving?"

"Our flight's been delayed, sweetheart." Elizabeth kneels down beside him. "Its just gonna take a little longer than we thought."

"Maternal One!"

"No way." Elizabeth turns at the use of her nickname, finding the only person that would ever use it. "Spinelli? Please tell me you're not responsible for the flight delay."

"Spinelli!" Cameron exclaims, doing his secret handshake with his somewhat newly found friend.

"Hey, little man." Spinelli smiles slightly.

"Spinelli!" Elizabeth snaps, bringing his attention back to her. "What's going on?"

"You can't leave." Spinelli says seriously. "Not now."

"We've been through this." Elizabeth sighs, shaking her head. "There's nothing left for me here. Its time that we had a fresh start."

"I know that you feel that way, but the Jackal is begging you to go off of trust." Spinelli pleads with her. "I'll explain everything, but not here. Please, you can't leave Port Charles. Not now."

"Spinelli..."

"Now more than ever, Maternal One." Spinelli says pleadingly. "Its pertinent that you're in town."

"If this is some kind of game..." she starts to say before he cuts her off.

"I'd never do that to you." Spinelli says wholeheartedly. "It'll all be explained shortly...please, trust me."

"Fine." Elizabeth shakes her head, gesturing for him to push the luggage cart. "I'm gonna trust you."

"Thank you."

Leading them out of the airport, Cameron all smiles by now, knowing that they weren't leaving. Once they are all loaded into the car, luggage in the trunk, Elizabeth instructs Cameron to listen to his music on his headphones before telling Spinelli to start explaining. She just put a stop to her plans with less than a moment's notice and she wanted answers.

"Two words." Spinelli says seriously. "Two words and I promise you'll be glad you didn't board that plane."

"Just spit it out already." Elizabeth counters. "I can't take anymore suspense in my life right now."

"Jason's alive."

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**Reviews politely encouraged! :D Hope you enjoyed!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Anything remotely recognizable as being a part of the cannon General Hospital.**

**Claiming any artistic creativity thought up by yours truly. Copy Writers be fore shamed.**

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**ITS NEVER REALLY OVER TILL ITS OVER**

Slamming her foot on the breaks, Elizabeth turned to look at Spinelli incredulously, he had to be joking. This had to be some kind of sick joke and she's more than ready to smack a computer geek if it is. Jason's dead. Everyone in town knows that, most of all Spinelli, so this wasn't even funny in the least.

"You're lying." she states, glaring at him. "You searched for him along with the search and rescue team...he's gone!"

"But he isn't." Spinelli insists she believe him. "Jason's very much alive."

"Stop!" Elizabeth grips the steering wheel tightly. "Just stop, Spinelli. He's not alive."

"I know how hard it must be to accept this after believing he's dead." Spinelli assures, placing a soft hand on one of hers. "But he's alive and he needs you."

"If its true." she moves his hand from hers. "I'm the last person he needs."

"You've trusted me enough to not board that plane." Spinelli points out, noting that other cars are honking at her to drive. "Trust me a little longer and I swear I'll pay for three first class tickets out of town if it turns out I'm lying."

"If it turns out you're lying, Spinelli...trust me," she steps on the gas, "Paying for our tickets will be the last of your worries."

Staring ahead at the road, Elizabeth's focus remained on getting to Harbor View Towers and her boys in the back seat. She barely failed to notice Spinelli looking at her a little nervously, obviously he has never seen her like this, but she didn't care. No one messes with her emotions like this, with her heart, and expects for her to just jump on board. Not anymore. Jason's not alive and Spinelli will have hell to pay for screwing with her like this.

Even with her belief that Jason really is dead, she couldn't help but hold out a sliver of hope that Spinelli's right. With Jason alive, she could make it through her life, she could put aside her feelings and just accept that he's with his wife. As long as she knew he was out there, somewhere in the world, alive. With him dead, her world just seemed to lose its balance. It hurt too much and she barely had any focus left.

"He's not here." Spinelli tells her as they get down in the parking garage. "Too dangerous to have him in his own home."

"Then where is he?" she counters, playing along for now.

"He's somewhere safe." a voice assures, causing her to turn and look at the person she has missed so much. "He's alive, Lizzie."

"Francis." she breathes, walking into his waiting arms, shutting her eyes as she rests her head on his chest. "You came back."

"Sorry it took me this long." Francis apologizes, holding her close, rubbing her back soothingly. "But we're back and we're not going anywhere."

"Johnny?" she guesses, pulling away slightly to look him in the eye. "Where?"

"He's with Jason." he smiles slightly, knowing just how she'd react to seeing them again. "You ready to go to him?"

"So this is real?" she asks him seriously. "He's really alive?"

"He's really alive." he assures her, the seriousness in his eyes for her to see. "And he needs you."

"Okay." she says without hesitation. "But what about my boys?"

"Johnny'll take care of them when we get there." Francis holds out his hand. "Lets get going."

Shaking her head, Elizabeth allows Francis to help her get her boys, successfully gaining the curiosity of Cameron. While he entertained each and every one of Cameron's questions, Elizabeth transferred Aiden to Francis's car before helping Cameron get in. She was surprised, to say the least, that Cameron wasn't asking much about why there were still in town or where they were going. Which, for her son, was a complete shock in and of itself.

"Hey, you." Johnny O'Brien greets her with a warm embrace when they get to the safe house. The same safe house that Jason had purchased just for them. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." she says softly, pulling away to look him over, smiling slightly. "You look good for a dead guy."

"I know." Johnny smirks, gesturing to his body. "Death looks good on me."

"I'm glad you two decided to come back." she says softly, glancing between both guards. "Nothing's been the same without you."

"If not for you, Liz..." Francis smiles slightly. "We never would have had the chance to come back."

_It was a dark, stormy night, when Elizabeth started banging on Jason's door. She couldn't believe that he was really going to do what that insipid blonde claimed he was going to do. She had to see it for herself, to hear it from his mouth, and to find a way to put a stop to it if its true._

_"You shouldn't be here." Jason tells her when he opens the door, walking back into his apartment without even inviting her in. Not that she needed an invitation._

_"Tell me Carly was lying to get under my skin." she says seriously, shutting the door behind her. "Tell me you're not seriously going to kill Johnny."_

_"You shouldn't be here." Jason says again, securing his gun at the small of his back, reaching for his jacket. "This is business and I'm not going to talk to you about it."_

_"This is Johnny we're talking about." she grabs his arm, forcing him to look at her. "Johnny O'Brien, your friend, the man that laid his life on the line for you on a daily basis."_

_"What do you expect me to do?" Jason counters, eyeing her intently. "Its as good as done."_

_"No its not!" she states angrily. "You still have a choice!"_

_"If I don't do it, Sonny'll just make someone else."_

_"After everything you and Johnny have been through together, I can't believe you're just going to end his life without remorse."_

_"Who says I won't have remorse?" he practically shouts. "I never wanted this! Its my job."_

_"The Jason I know wouldn't accept that." she says firmly. "The Jason I know would do what it took to save the people he cared about."_

_He looked at her intently, his mind finally accepting that there had to be another way to end this chaos, to satisfy Sonny while keeping Johnny alive. Elizabeth stood completely still as he walked over to the couch, plopping down on it to think, making her wish more than ever that she could read his mind. After what felt like forever, he stood up, moving to stand right in front of her._

_"We never had this conversation, understand?" he says seriously. "If I do this, you've got to believe that Johnny's dead...otherwise...I'll have to do it."_

_"I'll do whatever it takes." she says without hesitation. "So...you're going to protect him?"_

_"He's my friend." Jason says simply, pulling open the door. "Come on, I'll drop you home before I go see Johnny and Francis."_

_"Francis?"_

_"The only way I'm gonna pull this off is with his help." Jason sighs, shaking his head. "I'm done talking to you about this. Let's go."_

The three of them knew the consequences of Jason's actions if he would have went through with killing Johnny in cold blood. Francis would feel the need to avenge his friend, thus killing Jason, and then Sonny would have found out and killed Francis. In the end, Elizabeth would have lost three of her best guys because of Sonny's need to be in control. Thankfully, for her sake, she has yet to lose any of them. Not really.

"He's just in here." Francis says softly, guiding her to the room. "He's been asking for you since we pulled him from the water."

"How is he?" she asks him carefully, not really sure she wanted to know.

"He's pretty bad." Francis admits, placing one hand on her shoulder. "If anyone can save him, its you. After all, you have a knack for it."

Accepting his words of encouragement, Elizabeth walks into the room they had Jason in, completely in shock when he came into view. Francis wasn't kidding, he really is pretty bad off. In shock over seeing Jason laying there, she didn't even notice when the door was shut behind her.

"Oh, Jason." Elizabeth says softly, sitting down beside him. "I'm so sorry for everything."

In the living room of the safe house, the guys have the boys distracted with their own brand of entertainment, smiling slightly as they both focused on their own things. Much like their mother, they didn't seem to be on edge at all, completely content with being in their care. A big part of them wishes they could have spent time with Jake when he was alive, but they wouldn't dwell on it now.

"You think we should tell her about Jason's plan?" Johnny asks him in a hushed tone. "I mean, don't you think she'll start getting curious about us being here in time to save him?"

"She won't ask any questions until Jason's okay." Francis assures him, shaking his head. "By then, Jason'll make the choice to tell her or not."

"Think he will?"

"If he ever wants to get it right with her, he will." Francis looks over at the boys. "And, for all our sakes, he better damn well get it right this time."

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**Reviews politely encouraged! :D Hope you enjoyed!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Anything remotely recognizable as being a part of the cannon General Hospital.**

**Claiming any artistic creativity thought up by yours truly. Copy Writers be fore shamed.**

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~*~  
**ITS NEVER REALLY OVER TILL ITS OVER  
**~*~

Elizabeth couldn't believe how long she has sat beside his bedside, monitoring and maintaining his vitals, hoping and praying that his fever would drop and he'd gain some color back in his complexion. For most of the night, she had listened to her boys in the next room, helping her stay awake. Soon enough, though, they were fast asleep in their beds and Elizabeth was left with Jason as company. Which, as far as staying awake goes, Jason wasn't much help with that.

Running a weary hand down her face, she checks the time on the side table and noted that it was just about time for her boys to get up. She had to settle things with Cameron's school and then get Aiden back into daycare. She had been so set in leaving that she didn't leave any room for a change of plans. Now she's going to have to undo everything she had done. As a mental list started forming in her mind, a knock sounded on the door just before Francis stuck his head in.

"Good morning, Liz." Francis greets, walking in when she gestures for him to. "Brought you a cup of coffee."

"Thanks." she smiles slightly, taking it when he holds out. "With the kind of day I have ahead, I'm gonna need it."

"About that, Johnny and I already spoke to Cameron's school and Aiden's daycare." Francis says carefully. "I figured we owed it to you for making you stay."

"If I knew you were here, I would have stayed anyway." she points out, rising to her feet. "With that being said, thank you for taking care of it."

"Least we could do." he smiles slightly, humbled to find that she was still the same girl he knows and loves. Even if its hidden under all the grown up complications. "Do you want us to talk to the hospital?"

"No...my choice to leave the hospital was made long before I decided to leave town." she admits, taking a drink of her coffee. "For now, I'm just gonna stay unemployed."

"What aren't you telling me?" Francis could see something in her eyes, something that made his protective instincts kick in. "Liz?"

"Its nothing, really." she shakes her head, walking back over to sit by Jason's bed. "I'm just better off not working at General."

Picking up the bowl of water, Elizabeth settled it on her lap before wringing out the rag and proceeding with her task at lowering Jason's temperature. So far, he's done nothing but lay there, not even moving an inch. If she didn't know any better, she'd think he was dead. Thankfully, for her sanity, she does know better.

"Just because you stare at me like that, Francis, it doesn't mean I'm going to tell you what you want to know." Elizabeth points out as she wipes down Jason's face. "There's nothing for you to handle."

"Doesn't mean I don't need to know about it." he counters, maintaining his spot by the door. "You know you want to tell me, Liz."

"Maybe." she admits, wringing out the rag again.

"It was never this hard for you to talk to me." Francis points out, eyeing her intently. "You know that nothing has changed between us. You can still talk freely."

"I know...its been a long time since we last spoke, though." she reminds him, turning slightly to look at him. "I'm used to keeping things to myself."

"I'm sorry for that." he says sincerely, walking over to kneel beside her. "But I'm here now and that's no longer necessary. Talk to me."

"Its Monica." she finally concedes, shaking her head. "Ever since she learnt of Jake's true paternity...that he was Jason's...she's been on my case constantly. Every chance she gets, she points out my faults and sometimes she uses her position as my boss to make my life hell."

"That's not right." Francis states firmly. "She has no right to do that to you."

"Someone should tell her that." she sighs, turning her focus back to Jason. "I've let her do it, I guess, because I've always felt guilty for what happened to my son."

"It was an accident." Francis tries to reassure her. "It wasn't your fault."

"It doesn't matter." Elizabeth counters. "I'm his mother...I should have protected him better than that."

"Even so...you shouldn't let Monica walk all over you because of it." Francis places a soft hand on her shoulder. "She doesn't have the right to disrespect you just because she feels entitled to."

"Sometimes..." she takes a deep breath, staring at Jason as she speaks. "Sometimes she finds it necessary to demand I stay away from Jason. Throwing his marriage in my face, telling me that I wouldn't mean anything to him...that sharing a son didn't mean we were meant to be."

"With all due respect to Jason's mother, she doesn't know a damn thing about the kind of relationship the two of you share." Francis says sternly, glancing over at Jason before focusing on her. "Jason has done nothing but push away his family since he woke from his coma. Now, I get that he was starting to accept them in his life recently, but that doesn't make her an expert by any means."

"Still..."

"Still, nothing." Francis cuts her off. "Jason trusts you with his life...something he never could with his family. No matter what Monica may feel entitled to think or feel, she's wrong and she shouldn't use her standing as your boss to disrespect you and treat you as if you're beneath her."

"Thanks." she smiles slightly, remembering all the reasons why she had missed him to no end. "Have I told you just how glad I am that you're back?"

"I know, kid." he says softly, rising to his feet before kissing her forehead. "Now, I'm gonna take care of your boys...Johnny'll be around if you need anything, okay?"

"Okay."

"And, while you've got time on your hands, think about what I said." Francis insists as he walks to the door. "The Lizzie I know and love would never take that kind of treatment from anyone."

"The Lizzie you know and love no longer exists."

"Yes, she does." he assures, smirking slightly. "You just lost her along the way, that's all."

"Maybe."

"Well, when you do find her, bring her back." Francis opens the door, looking at her fondly. "Because once she's back, Monica wouldn't stand a chance."

"How do you know that?"

"Come on, Liz." Francis chuckles. "The Lizzie, I remember, stood up to Carly Benson. After taking her on when she was better known as Hurricane Carly, Monica would be a breeze."

"Hurricane Carly." she laughs softly. "Forgot about that one."

"How is that possible?" Francis teases, glad that he was finally getting her to realize just how much of herself she has lost over the years. "You came up with it."

"True."

Looking at each other for a moment longer, Francis grants her a nod before walking out of the room and shutting the door behind him. He had a lot of work to do, but his first task of the day is getting the boys ready and dropping them off at their respective destinations.

"Everything set?" Francis asks Johnny once he has the boys ready.

"The guys just landed and they'll be in place by the time you drop the boys off." Johnny assures, handing over Cameron and Aiden's lunch. "So...which of us gets to got into town first?"

"Let me guess, you want to get in Sonny's face, huh?" Francis counters. "Want to show him that he didn't succeed in killing you?"

"The thought has crossed my mind." Johnny smirks, shrugging his shoulders. "The man set me up as a mole, Francis...a nice knock on his ass is the least he deserves."

"You can go into town on one condition." Francis says seriously. "You only get one punch. Got it?"

"One is all I need." Johnny says simply. "So, I get to go with her?"

"Yeah." Francis shakes his head. "I'm gonna drop the boys off and talk to the guards. After I get back, you can go with her into town when she needs it."

"Great." Johnny's brain started going over his plan to face Sonny. "Can't wait."

"I'm so gonna regret letting you do this." Francis sighs, walking out of the kitchen to get the boys. "Lord, help me."

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**Reviews politely encouraged! :D Hope you enjoyed!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Anything remotely recognizable as being a part of the cannon General Hospital.**

**Claiming any artistic creativity thought up by yours truly. Copy Writers be fore shamed.**

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~*~  
**ITS NEVER REALLY OVER TILL ITS OVER  
**~*~

Regardless of the fact that they are standing in an interrogation room, separated from police officials by nothing but a door, Sonny was more than ready to pull out his gun and shoot AJ Quartermaine where he stood. This time, making sure that the son of a bitch stayed dead. The look on his son's face, however, put a stop to any form of violence that Sonny could think of at the moment.

"Shut up, AJ!" Carly shouts, having heard enough, tired of rehashing the past. "That was a long time ago! You have no right bringing this up to him! He was just a baby when this all happened and you're not innocent! Far from it!"

"All he knows is what I've done." AJ counters, not raising his voice, knowing that it was finally his turn to have the upper hand and it felt good. "I'm simply giving him both sides of this story. What he does with it...well, that's his choice."

"I know what you're trying to do!" Sonny snaps, glaring daggers at his best friend's brother. "You're trying to do what Jason does, but its not going to work! There is no way that you can make yourself look better to our son than we do! We're his parents!"

"I'm his father." AJ says with conviction, staring right back at Sonny, no longer afraid of him. Not after gaining the support of someone he had thought he lost long ago. "And until the day I die, I will do whatever it takes to prove to him that I can be a good one."

Michael, the son in question, simply stands off to the side, watching the entire interaction, completely unsure of what he was supposed to do. How he was supposed to react. Thankfully, for the sake of his sanity, he wasn't alone amid this chaos. Turning to the side, he smiles slightly at the girl who volunteered to join him in this chaos. His girlfriend, Starr Manning.

"I'm sorry you have to see this." he whispers to her, stroking her hand softly with his thumb.

"Nowhere I'd rather be." she says wholeheartedly, smirking slightly with her next comment. "Plus, your turn will come...my family is just as crazy as yours."

"I'll look forward to it." he smirks, knowing what she was doing and thankful for it.

They remained lost in their little moment for a little while longer before they were forced to tune back into the fight happening in front of them. Michael was confused as it was, completely lost about how he should feel about his biological father, knowing what he knows and all the complications that his conception had created. Seeing his father standing there, clearly fighting to be a father figure in his life, Michael's decision was finally made.

"Enough!" Michael shouts, successfully gaining the attention of all three of his parents. Knowing the whole story like he does now, Michael was tired of seeing them fight. "The past doesn't matter! You've all made mistakes, that's your problem! I'm not going to let it affect me now! Not after losing Jason!"

"Oh, Michael." his mother is the first to walk towards him. "I know you're hurting over losing Jason, but that doesn't mean that you should let that man into your life."

"That man is my father." Michael says sternly, needing her to see where he stood. "And I'm going to give him a chance to be a part of my life. You can either accept that or not, but its my choice and I've made it."

"Michael, please think about this." Carly pleads with him. "He's messing with your head like he does with everyone else. You don't know the AJ Quartermaine that we all do. He'll use you until you no longer have anything he needs...please, you have to trust us."

"Michael, listen to your mom, please." Sonny steps forward, standing in front of his son. "You don't know the kind of hell that man can bring onto you."

"Dad, you've always been the only father I've ever known. You took me in and you always treated me like your flesh and blood." Michael says seriously, smiling slightly. "Because of that, you've had my undying loyalty. No matter what happened, no matter what you did, I always saw through it. I always saw through you, right into the man that I love as my father."

"You're my son." Sonny says without hesitation. "DNA doesn't matter...I love you!"

"I love you, too, dad!" Michael says wholeheartedly, letting his smile fall. "But AJ is my father and I need the chance to know what I never had a chance to know before...I need to know him."

"Mister man, you have to see that this is a huge mistake." Carly pleads with tears in her eyes. "Please don't do this. Jason fought just as hard to keep you away from him."

"Jason taught me that forgiveness is something you choose to give and he's forgiven a lot of people for a lot of things over the years." Michael says plainly, looking at his mother intently. "If I know Jason like I think I do, I know he would be okay with this."

"With all due respect to you and Michael's dad, it is his choice to get to know Mr. Quartermaine." Starr finally speaks up, standing flush against Michael's side. "He deserves the chance to get to know his biological father and he's finally has that chance to do it now. You can't ask him not to."

"Michael..." Carly pleads, as if she didn't even hear Starr talking. "Please don't let that man into your life."

"I've made my choice." Michael releases Starr's hand to walk over to the door and pull it open. "Now you both have to leave. Diane's waiting outside and you know how she hates that."

Knowing when to fight and knowing when to back down, Sonny escorts an irate Carly out of the interrogation room, turning to watch Diane walk inside. For a brief moment, Michael holds their gaze, but not for long.

Soon enough, he smiles slightly, almost apologetically, before shutting the door and taking his place beside AJ. His girlfriend soon taking his hand as the meeting of minds began.

"Francis is back." Johnny points out as he sticks his head into the room, smiling slightly when she turns to look at him. "How's the patient doing?"

"His fever is starting to break...not by much, but still." Elizabeth turns her focus back to Jason. "I think the antibiotics are finally kicking in."

"Out of curiosity, would you be needing to go into town anytime soon?" Johnny questions, now standing in the doorway, the door opened fully.

"Not that I know of." she says simply, starting to wipe Jason down once again, hoping it was helping with the fever.

"Can you pretend you need to go into town and just go with me?" Johnny asks after he shuts the door, hoping Francis wasn't anywhere close by.

"You're up to something." Elizabeth states, it wasn't a question, she could see that he was up to something. "Spit it out."

"Come on...just let me take you into town."

"Only if you tell me why." Elizabeth says firmly, glancing over at Jason. "He's barely hanging in there...the only way I'm leaving is if its a damn good reason."

"Fine." Johnny relents, taking a deep breath before confessing. "I want to knock Sonny on his ass."

"Okay." Elizabeth sighs, shaking her head before walking over to Jason. "We'll go."

Johnny watches as she leans over, placing a soft kiss upon Jason's forehead before whispering something in his ear and standing upright. Without another word, Elizabeth walks out of the room, prompting Johnny to follow behind.

Francis watched them leave the house after being told to call her if anything changes with Jason. A part of him knew that this was a bad idea, but Johnny deserved the chance to face Sonny for betraying him and Francis will give him that much. Its the least that he deserved.

"I'm gonna talk to my building super about my studio." Elizabeth tells Johnny when they find Sonny cursing to himself on the docks. "I'm sure Francis gave you conditions in coming into town...don't make me regret agreeing to coming with you."

"You go settle your studio issue...I'll be just fine." Johnny says with a slight smirk, kissing her cheek. "And thank you for coming with me."

"I'm sure Francis wouldn't let you come to town otherwise." Elizabeth shrugs, turning on her heels to walk up the steps.

Watching his former boss for a moment longer, Johnny could tell that he was in a world of pain all on his own, not that he thought Sonny deserved any less. After the hell that Sonny put him through on a daily basis, then betraying him and leaving him hanging out to dry, Johnny wanted him to suffer. Even if it wasn't by his hand.

"Long time no see." Johnny says aloud, walking down the steps once he's gotten Sonny's attention. The look of seeing a ghost graces his former boss's face and that brings a smirk to Johnny's.

"Johnny O'Brien?" Sonny stutters out, looking at him as if this couldn't be real. "But...but you're dead."

"Unfortunately for you, I'm not." Johnny steps closer and closer, waiting to get into hitting range. "Nice job on the frame up, by the way. If it wasn't me, I'd have believed it, too."

"It wasn't personal." Sonny uses as his defense. "It was just business."

"I laid down my life for you...over and over again." Johnny states, getting even closer to Sonny. "Take your business line and shove it! Your betrayal was personal...and so is this!"

Cocking his arm back, Johnny slammed his fist against Sonny's face, knocking his former boss on his ass, busting his lip wide open. After all these years, after imagining seeing Sonny in so many different ways, Johnny had to admit this was the most tame encounter of them all, but still just as satisfying.

He threw all his anger, all his hatred, and all his pain into that one punch. Years of dedicated service, risking his life time and time again, Johnny couldn't feel more betrayed if he tried. Of course, if it were Francis or Jason, it would have been more painful, but they'd never do that to him.

Sonny, on the other hand, was definitely more than capable. Johnny had just believed he was too important to Sonny to be betrayed like that. Shows how blindly stupid he was. How stupid he had been to blindly follow each and every order, never questioning his boss, never talking back. Something that Johnny was glad Jason has outgrown or he'd have to lay out Jason's ass, too.

"Ready?" Elizabeth says, walking up to him, watching as he simply squats down beside Sonny. "He's still alive, right?"

"Unfortunately." Johnny sighs, standing upright before turning to look at her. "And to answer you're question...yeah. I'm ready."

"He's living through hell right now, Johnny." Elizabeth assures him, placing a soft hand on his arm. "Let him live it."

"I know you're right...but still." Johnny slings his arm across her shoulder before walking with her up the steps. "Doesn't stop me from wanting to be the one to cause him pain."

"I know." she says softly, wrapping one arm around his waist, snuggling into his side. "I know."

Walking together, they decide that it would be best to grab some food, making sure that they order some for Francis. Even though he would never admit it, Elizabeth knows that he misses the food at Kelly's. By the look on Johnny's face, he obviously missed it, even going as far as to say it.

They had just gotten their food and was about to pay for it when Sam walked through the door with John McBain by her side. The moment that Sam saw Elizabeth, a look of pain and anger crossed her face, something that McBain didn't fail to notice.

For a brief moment, Elizabeth thought Sam would confront her there, like she has done a lot lately, but McBain guided her away and Sam followed, taking a seat at an empty table.

"You okay?" Johnny asked her, seeing that there was a spark, of the old Elizabeth, starting to form in her eyes.

"Yeah." Elizabeth shakes her head, waiting long enough for Johnny to pay for the food before grabbing the bags and walking out the door. Forcing Johnny to sprint just to keep up.

Getting to the car, they take off back to the safe house, in silence. Francis looked up at the sound of them walking through the door, readily catching his bag of food when Elizabeth tossed it to him before she walked off to Jason's room, causing Francis to smirk slightly.

Like Johnny, he could see the spark of Lizzie starting to push itself forward. Soon enough Port Charles will have a whirlwind of chaos on its hands if anyone even tries to get in her face. Something Francis was more than glad to be back home in time to see. As far as he was concerned, Lizzie's return is a return that's long over due and he couldn't wait.

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**Reviews politely encouraged! :D Hope you enjoyed!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Anything remotely recognizable as being a part of the cannon General Hospital.**

**Claiming any artistic creativity thought up by yours truly. Copy Writers be fore shamed.**

* * *

~*~  
**ITS NEVER REALLY OVER TILL ITS OVER  
**~*~

Making his rounds around the house, Francis sticks his head in on the boys, making sure that they were indeed fast asleep and Cameron didn't trick them again. Satisfied with the two slumbering youngsters, he closes their door, making sure to leave it slightly open, before moving on to check the rest of the house.

The ungodly snoring coming from the guest bedroom told him that his best friend was currently knocked out, giving Francis some peace of mind. From what he was told, he's certain that his best friend wasn't quite as satisfied as he wants to be and that meant Francis had to be extra strict with him.

For a grown ass man, Johnny still seemed to need guidance and discipline. Which meant, for the sake of their plan, Francis had to pay extra attention to his friend. He'd hate to be the one to tell Jason that Johnny's need for revenge screwed up their entire plan.

Shaking his head of that disastrous thought, he moves on to check in on the resident nurse and her completely unconscious patient. Knocking softly, he pushes the door open slightly, smiling at the sight that awaited him once he did.

While Jason lies asleep in bed, Elizabeth is sitting by his bedside, huddled over with her head resting over Jason's hand. From the looks of it, she was clinging to his hand as she slept, giving Francis hope for his two friends. Though there was definitely a lot of work ahead for the two, he's confident that they can finally make it work.

_"Elizabeth?" the weary sound of Jason's voice stops Francis from walking out of the room. "Elizabeth?"_

_"Hey, man." Francis says, walking to stand next to him. "Glad to see you're still alive in there."_

_"Where's..." he takes a weary breath, trying to focus on Francis. "Elizabeth?"_

_"She didn't leave town, so just relax." Francis says seriously, pushing his friend back down onto the bed. "We stopped her like we promised."_

_"Where is..." another weary breath. "she?"_

_"In town with Johnny." Francis assures, pulling up the chair before sitting down. "She's been here...she'll be back. Trust me on that."_

_"She...stayed?"_

_"Yeah." Francis assures, smiling slightly. "She's been taking care of you ever since."_

_"T..thank...you." he says, fighting the urge to fall back to sleep. "What about...everything...else?"_

_"AJ's doing his part." Francis concedes, amazed at how badly the Quartermaine wanted to be a part of his son's life. "And the rest...well, we're handling it."_

_"Keep...on it."_

_"We will." he promises, placing a soft hand on his friend's shoulder. "Now get back to sleep. You need to save your strength if you want to get better."_

_"Does she...know?"_

_"No...figured you'd want to tell her." Francis says simply. "Was I wrong?"_

_"N..no." Jason shakes his head, his eyes shutting once again. "I...I'll...tell her."_

Francis had been surprised that his friend was able to break through the fog long enough to talk to him, but - in hindsight - it shouldn't have shocked him as much. Jason's will power is like no other and - if he wanted it bad enough - Francis knows that he could do just about anything. Staging his own death was proof of that.

Of course, they had planned something completely different, but beggars can't be choosers. Besides, this way, it was much more believable and they didn't have any loose ends to tie up or make sure that they didn't leave a trail. As far as the rest of Port Charles is concerned, minus a few people, Jason Morgan is as dead as a door nail.

"Thanks for sticking up for me today." AJ looks at his son gratefully, smiling slightly. "If not for you, I'm sure they'd have let me rot in that cell."

"Next time...wait for Starr to call you." Michael says seriously, looking at his father intently. "Promise me."

"I promise." AJ says without hesitation. "I'll wait for your girlfriend to call when it comes to you."

"And next time, when Tracy pulls her crap, just call me." Michael hands over a card with his number on it. "Its better than you violating your parole."

"I will." AJ swears, putting his hand over his heart. "I won't do anything else to ruin my trial, Michael. I swear it."

"See that you don't." Michael sighs, shaking his head. "I want to get to know you, but there's only so much I can do to help you."

Watching his son walk down the pathway, back to his girlfriend, AJ waits long enough for them to drive away before he walks into the mansion. Right on time, like the police had scheduled it, the new ankle monitor sounds off and locks in his location.

With a sigh, AJ shakes his head and trudges up the stairs to his room, knowing that he'd have to leave the fight for another day. So far, Michael has begun to let him in, not that much, but it was enough for now. AJ will do anything to get back in son's life. Even stay trapped in this house for the duration of his trial.

While thoughts of his son echoed through his mind, he's suddenly reminded of the person that has given him the chance to be the father to his son that he's always wanted to be. After so many years, AJ had been more than surprised to get that call.

_Sitting in the living room of his home, AJ had been running through his physical therapy, having long since regained mobility in his legs, but still not chancing anything. He was just about to call it quits when the phone started to ring on his side table, prompting him to snatch it up. Every part of him hoping that it was his mother. Needing an update on life in Port Charles. Having read about the epidemic on the internet._

_"Mom?" he says automatically, seeing it was a Port Charles number._

_"Guess again." his brother's voice greets him instead of his mother, causing him to gulp, unsure of what this call meant. "Surprised, AJ?"_

_"Yeah." AJ admits, shaking his head, forcing himself to focus. To ignore how good it was to hear his brother's voice even with all the reasons he had to be alarmed._

_"Now you know how I felt." Jason counters, hopping onto the exam table. "I can't talk much now, but I'll be calling again in a few days. Be expecting my call."_

_"Okay." was all he managed, not sure what else he could say._

_"And AJ?"_

_"Yeah, Jason?"_

_"Contrary to what you may believe, I'm glad you're not dead."_

_And just like that the line went dead, but not before AJ had a chance to smile slightly, knowing that something had changed in his brother. Whatever made his brother have a change of heart towards him, AJ will always be grateful for the change._

He had been wracking his brain on what he could do to fix things with his brother and then, out of nowhere, the chance of a lifetime just falls right onto his lap. A chance AJ would die before he ever let it pass him by. Jason did call back again, this time they transferred their conversation to Skype and talked for what seemed like hours.

Jason did his best to explain why he could forgive AJ of all the things he had ever done over the years. He tells AJ about his son, how hard it had been to not be an active parent, and how he had thought of AJ constantly because of it. He apologizes for stripping him of the right to father Michael and for judging him on what he had done in the past.

It looked like his brother, it sounded like his brother, but AJ just couldn't believe that any of those words were actually coming out of his brother's mouth. Accepting that things had undoubtedly changed over the years, AJ makes his own apologies that he had been working on all these years. By the time the apologies stopped, both brothers accepted that the past was the past and it was time to let it go.

Then, at the end of the conversation, Jason did something AJ had not been expecting. His brother asked him for help. His little brother, the one that normally wanted nothing to do with him, was looking him right in the eye and asking him for help. Of course, not one to pass up any good opportunity, AJ readily accepts to help in any way he can. Even if it meant lying to his own mother.

"Thanks again, little brother." AJ says to the portrait of him and Jason that still hangs from the wall. "Thanks."

Stretching the fatigue from her body, Elizabeth curses herself for sleeping in that position, even though she only slept a few hours, her body still ached from the position it had been in. As her reality settles around her once again, she diverts her eyes to the man laying still in bed, a soft smile gracing her lips. He's starting to regain color in his complexion and, from what she can tell, he seemed a lot more relax than he has been since she got there.

"Oh, Jason." she whispers, taking his hand in both of hers, glad that his temperature seemed to go down a little further. "You've got to come back from this...you have to. I can't survive losing you again...I can't. Please, if you can hear me, fight your way back. Please."

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**Reviews politely encouraged! :D Hope you enjoyed!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Anything remotely recognizable as being a part of the cannon General Hospital.**

**Claiming any artistic creativity thought up by yours truly. Copy Writers be fore shamed.**

* * *

~*~  
**ITS NEVER REALLY OVER TILL ITS OVER  
**~*~

Dropping the boys off at school and daycare, Francis makes his way around town. With the circumstances of Jason's death being changed the way it was, Francis had a lot of preparations to handle while his friend's currently indisposed.

Stopping at a red light, Francis couldn't help the smirk that graced his lips when he spotted Sonny walking into the Metro Court with Carly. For only one punch, Johnny sure did a hell of a lot of damage, making Francis more than a little proud of his friend. In retrospect, Johnny was always one to make the most of the least, which benefited him with only being able to hit Sonny once.

With the switch of the traffic light, he continues his surveillance of the town, making a mental to do list as he went along. If they're going to pull it off the way Jason wants it to be, Francis had his work cut out for him. Until his friend lands back on his feet, the weight fell onto his shoulders, something he didn't mind as long as his friend recovered.

"Corelli." Francis answers his cellphone, turning his car onto the road that would lead him to the safehouse.

"Its AJ." the voice replies. "The family's right on schedule, like Jason predicted. Tracy's still on edge about my sudden return, but Monica's wearing her down. It shouldn't take much more to get Tracy to drop her guard."

"Keep on it." Francis says seriously. "We'll meet up when the house empties out."

"I'll call you when that happens." AJ assures, glancing around before shutting the door to the study. "How is he?"

"He's starting to take a turn for the better." Francis assures. "If anyone can save your brother, its Elizabeth."

"Would you let me know if there are any further changes?"

"Yeah." Francis says as he speeds down the back road. "And keep your head on straight from here on out. We can't risk having you sent to prison for good."

"I know."

Ending the call, he takes the turn off the back road and makes his way up the driveway to the garage. Shutting off his engine, Francis had been a bit confused by the noises he heard coming from inside the safe house.

For a moment he simply sat in the car, unsure of whether or not he should get down and walk inside. When he heard a loud crash, he decided that there was no avoiding it, something was wrong and he had to see what it was.

"Shut up!" Elizabeth shouted, glaring at Johnny, completely oblivious to Francis's presence. "I know what I heard!"

"What's going on here?" Francis dares to ask, prompting Elizabeth to turn her angry gaze on him. "What did you hear?"

"That you planned Jason's death!" she snaps, walking over to stand in front of him. "You let me grieve for him! You let my heart break and die, knowing damn well that he was alive! That I had no reason to feel a loss that wasn't real! How could you do that, Francis? How could you let me grieve for him?!"

"We never intended for you to believe he was dead." Francis tries to reassure her, knowing that Jason was going to hate this more than anything else. "Yes, its true that we were planning his death, but this wasn't how we planned it to go down."

"So that's supposed to make it all okay?" she counters, folding her arms across her chest. "Its supposed to be okay because you didn't plan his death to go down the way it did? You had weeks! Weeks to tell me he was alive! Weeks to ease my pain, to take away the guilt and grief that I felt, but you didn't! You let me grieve for him! You let me believe he was dead!"

"Elizabeth..." Francis tries again, but she wasn't going to listen now, he could see it.

"Save it!" she snaps, shaking her head, fury spreading over her. "I forgave both of you for faking Sonny's death and you promised you'd never do this to me again...yet here we are. Only this time it was Jason. Jason, of all people! Just...just leave me alone."

Walking away without another word, Elizabeth slams the door shut, retaking her place by Jason's bedside. Just because she's angry with the lot of them, it didn't mean she wouldn't do whatever it took to nurse him back to health.

She'd rather he lived to deal with her anger than to deal with really losing him. Taking a deep breath to control her anger, she checks his vitals before wiping him down again. His fever is almost gone, soon he'll be back to the normal temperature and her fears will ease a little.

"Well..." Johnny cleared his throat, the tension more than suffocating in there. "...you did say you wanted Lizzie back, right?"

"I know what you're playing and its not going to work." Francis states firmly, turning his glare to his friend. "How is it possible that she happened to overhear you talking about Jason's plan?"

"Uh...well..." Johnny chuckles nervously, taking a few steps backwards as Francis moved closer. "You're gonna laugh at this."

"Do I look like I'm laughing?" Francis counters, eyeing him intently. "Huh, John? Do I?"

"Uh...not really?"

"Not at all!" he states, glaring at him. "How did this happen?"

"I was just talking to myself." he defends, holding his hands up, trying to get him to back off and relax. "No offence to Jason and Elizabeth, but this place sucks and things would be a lot different if Jason's plan worked out the way we planned it."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay." Francis says simply. "Since you feel the need to run your mouth carelessly, you get to be the one to tell Jason about this."

"Wha...you can't be serious."

"Oh, but I am." Francis says with a slight smirk, grabbing the keys from where he tossed it. "Good luck with that."

"Francis!" Johnny calls out to him as Francis pulls open the door. "Come on! Francis! Francis!"

Like Elizabeth had done, Francis slams the door shut behind him without another word, deciding that doing further surveillance was better than sitting in there and waiting for Elizabeth to blow up at them again. With Lizzie coming back to the surface, she was a ticking time bomb and - since it was Johnny's big mouth that got them into this mess - its Johnny's big mouth that'll have to deal with it.

"Fair Samantha?" Spinelli's voice breaks through her thoughts, causing her to look up at him as he stands in the doorway of the penthouse. "The Jackal has no words, but he would like to help any way he can."

"You can bring Jason back to me." she says plainly, cradling baby Danny in her arms. "And you can make this entire nightmare into one that never really happened...you can put my family back together."

"Fair Samantha..." Spinelli sighs, not knowing what he could say without betraying his best friend and mentor's trust.

"Just go, Spinelli." she shakes her head, turning her focus back to her son. "There's nothing you can do for me."

"I know how hard this must be on you, Fair Samantha, but I hope you know I'm here for you." Spinelli opens the door, staring at her for a moment longer. "Stone Cold or no Stone Cold...I have been and will always be your friend."

"I know." she whispers, turning her gaze to him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Why don't you call me the Goddess anymore?" she questions, having noticed that its been Fair Samantha for a while now.

"I guess, after everything..." Spinelli takes a deep breath. "I guess I've come to see you as the woman you are and not the goddess I made you out to be."

"Okay."

"Its not a bad thing." Spinelli assures her when she turns her gaze away from him again. "Like many children come to learn with their parents, I've come to learn the person you are...that doesn't mean I care for you any less or see you in a dimmer light. I've just grown out of my rosy view of life and finally see the world for what it is."

Leaving her to her thoughts, Spinelli shuts the door behind him before walking over to the elevator, pulling out his cellphone when he gets a text. With a sigh, he glances over at Jason's penthouse before sending a text back and heading down to the front of the building, getting into Francis's car when it pulls up in front of him.

"How is she holding up?" Francis asks as they take off down the road.

"Some days she's fine, others...not so much." Spinelli admits, shaking his head. "She's starting to let McBain in like you said she would...I guess that's a good thing."

"Jason's the one that predicted everything that's happening right now." Francis says simply. "She's right on schedule...soon, she'll be thinking 'Jason who?', trust me."

"I hope so." Spinelli sighs, unable to shake the look in Sam's eyes. "Its hard to see her like this."

"Don't worry so much, kid." Francis smiles slightly. "Everything will work out the way its meant to. It always does."

Staring at him, watching as he lays asleep, completely unaware of the world around him, Elizabeth wants to be angry at him. She wants to yell at him and hate him for this, but she can't. Not when he's laying there, so helpless, so vulnerable, so weak. She couldn't take it. This isn't like Jason. He hates being like this and she hates seeing him like this.

"Its not fair...I should be mad at you right now...I should be yelling at you and threatening you for putting me through this." she sighs, taking his hand in both of hers. "But I can't. I don't know why you chose to fake your death or why things worked out like this...all I know is that its you and you probably have a good reason for it...at least you better. But, as far as the whole lying thing goes, this makes us even."

* * *

**Reviews politely encouraged! :D Hope you enjoyed!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Anything remotely recognizable as being a part of the cannon General Hospital.**

**Claiming any artistic creativity thought up by yours truly. Copy Writers be fore shamed.**

* * *

~*~  
**ITS NEVER REALLY OVER TILL ITS OVER  
**~*~

The anger was boiling to the surface, despite how badly she was trying to fight it. Elizabeth was doing everything she could to remember that Sam still believed that Jason was dead, but it was getting damn hard to deal with her constant snide remarks and subtle jabs, the disgusted looks and mumbling whenever they were in the same room.

"You know what, Sam, shut up!" Elizabeth snaps, tired of the same old back and forth they've been having since Jason died. "I'm so sick of you blaming everything on me!"

"Why shouldn't I blame you?" Sam counters, glaring at her. "If not for you, Jason and I would have had more time to be together as a family with our son."

"Your son!" she states, angered to her core. "Jason had a son. My son. Remember him, Sam? The one you let get kidnapped! The one you hired men to threaten! The one you never wanted to exist! Remember him?"

"Oh, don't make this about Jake!"

"Everything in my life is about Jake!" she counters, glaring at her. "Everything I do, everything I am, has to do with my sons."

"Oh, really?" Monica chimes in from behind Sam. "Is that how you justify kissing my son while he's married to Sam? It was for your sons?"

"Stay out of this, Monica." Elizabeth says sternly, signalling for Johnny to stay hidden, that she had this.

"Or what?" Monica counters. "You say you're not to blame for their problems, but you couldn't be more wrong. If not for you, my son would have had more time with Danny...maybe, just maybe, he'd still be alive."

"You're seriously going to blame me for Jason's death now?" Elizabeth says through gritted teeth. "Anything else you two want to put on my shoulders? Why not add global warming or the epidemic we had not that long ago? Want to say that's my fault, too?"

"If the shoe fits." Sam states, folding her arms across her chest.

"You know what, fine!" Elizabeth throws her hands up. "I messed up more times than I care to count! I lied and kept the truth from Jason, I kissed him more than once while he was still married to you, and I'm still in love with him despite every reason I shouldn't be! Sue me! I'm human! At least I know how to own up to my mistakes. At least I have the decency to apologize for it and try to make amends! Can either of you say the same?".

"Excuse me?" the both say at the same time.

"Monica, you blamed Jason for many things over the years that he had no power over! You blamed him for Emily's death, something that wasn't his fault, yet you blamed him regardless!" Elizabeth states angrily. "His own sister that he loved more than life itself! His sister that he did whatever he could to protect her, to keep her safe! You blamed him for her death as if the loss he was enduring wasn't bad enough. You just couldn't help but make him feel guilty! Then you turn to the bottle, adding to his guilt, as if it wasn't heavy enough on its own!"

"I had just lost my daughter!" Monica defends.

"And he was your son!" Elizabeth snaps. "Or at least that's what you claim, but we both know that you only want him in your life when it benefits you!"

"How dare you..." Monica tries to curse her, but Elizabeth cuts her off.

"Jason carried the weight of the world on his shoulders." Elizabeth states, glaring at both of them, her heart weighing heavily as she remembers him over the years. "Everything that went wrong in this town, all of it landed on his shoulders, and he felt the need to fix every last problem anyone he loved was straddled with! Because of it, you looked at him like he was some kind of superhuman, but he wasn't! Jason was just a man, an extraordinary man, but still just that...a man! He got hurt, just like anyone else! He felt pain, sadness and loss, just like anyone else! Though he rarely showed it to anyone, Jason would cry and he would feel undeserving of love because of the life he lead, but none of you cared about that. All you cared about was what he could do for you, how he could protect you, how he could make your life easier."

"I don't have to stand here and listen to this." Monica makes a move to walk away when Elizabeth blocks her path.

"That's too bad because you're going to!" Elizabeth blocks her again when she tries to walk away. "You point out my flaws like its your right yet when I do it to you, you can't handle it!"

"Jason forgave his mother..." Sam chimes in, defending Monica.

"He was always good at that, right?" Elizabeth looks at her. "Forgiving people that didn't deserve it...like you."

"He loved me!" Sam practically shouts.

"He loved me long before he loved you!" Elizabeth shouts back. "He loved me before you ever came to Port Charles! He loved me way before he let either of you into his life! He loved me! What me and Jason had was indescribable, there were no words to describe what we had!"

"He married me!" Sam fights off the tears.

"And?" Elizabeth counters. "He married Courtney and Brenda, too! If not for the danger, he would have married me! He would have started a family with me!"

"What?" Sam looks at her disbelievingly.

"Didn't know that, did you?" Elizabeth stares her in the eye. "Before Michael was shot, he asked me to marry him! He wanted to be a family with me and my boys! He wanted everything I could give him and that much more...he wanted to marry me!"

"Yet he didn't." Monica tried to sound confident, but even she knew she fell flat.

"I could stand here defending what I had with Jason and pointing out both of your flaws, but there's no point." Elizabeth sighs, shaking her head. "Jason and I know what we had, both of you know how you screwed up your lives all on your own, that nothing I say is relevant anymore."

Walking away from both of them, Elizabeth meets up with Johnny, feeling like a weight was lifted from her shoulders. She doesn't know how long she's been waiting to tell both of them off, but she was sure that it was a long time coming.

Because of Jason, she has held her tongue and taken what they had to dish out, but enough was enough. From now on she's speaking her mind and to hell with anyone that has a problem with that. She's done being the town's punching bag. She's just done.

"Its official." Johnny slings his arm across her shoulders. "Good ol' Lizzie Webber is back in action."

"And she still hasn't forgiven you." Elizabeth moves his arm. "Take me back now."

Getting in the car, the two of them head back to the safe house before going their separate ways. Planning the spend time with her boys when they get home, Elizabeth has Johnny set something up for them in the backyard, anxious to have some time with her boys. While they're out of the house, though, she makes her way into the bedroom to spend her time with Jason.

Checking his vitals, she couldn't help the smile that graces her lips, his fever has dropped and he was starting to return to normal. Checking his wounds, she's satisfied with the way it looks, having started to heal and would soon start to close up. Rising to her feet she was about to put on some music when Jason's hand takes hold of hers.

"Jason?" she says questioningly, securing her fingers around his hand.

"Elizabeth." he whispers, his eyes blinking slightly before opening halfway to look at her.

"Jason." she says softly, sitting on the bed, reaching up one hand to caress his cheek. "You did it...you've come back to me."

* * *

**Reviews politely encouraged! :D Hope you enjoyed!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Anything remotely recognizable as being a part of the cannon General Hospital.**

**Claiming any artistic creativity thought up by yours truly. Copy Writers be fore shamed.**

* * *

~*~  
**ITS NEVER REALLY OVER TILL ITS OVER  
**~*~

From the moment his eyes opened, Elizabeth has been examining him from head to foot. He wanted to stop her, but he knew better than to stop her from taking care of him. Especially since he was shot, something he knows reminds her of the first time she found him in the snow, barely alive.

"Done?" he says teasingly, smiling slightly when she smiles and shakes her head.

"Yeah...I'm done." she sets the stethoscope aside before sitting down and facing him. "You had everyone worried, you know?"

"I'm sorry." he says on a hushed tone, taking her hand in his. "I never meant to make you worry."

"I was more than worried." she counters, looking at him intently. "I grieved for you...I thought you were dead for a long time."

"I know." he takes a deep breath before shifting in bed, moving into a slight sitting position. "For what its worth, I didn't plan it to happen like this."

"So I've heard." Elizabeth glances at their joined hands before looking at him again. "Why did you plan this? Why fake your death?"

"The only reason that I'd ever do something like this." he says simply. "For you."

"For me?" she looks at him in shock, unable to believe what he was saying. "Wha...why would you fake your death for me?"

"Well, for us." he amends, stroking her hand softly with his thumb. "I was going to tell you before we went through with it, but..."

"But someone beat you to the punch." she finishes for him, smiling slightly.

"Pretty much." he takes in a shaky breath before continuing, stopping her from fussing over him again. "Do you remember what I said when you told me you still loved me?"

"I couldn't forget if I tried." she sighs, forcing herself to stay in the present. "You said we couldn't risk it. That after everything we did for Jake...it would all be for nothing."

"Yeah...which is why I did this." Jason explains, using his other hand to make her meet his eyes. "The only way I can be with you without feeling guilty is to be out of the business...something I should have done a long time ago."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"I have a few things to handle, but yeah." he says wholeheartedly. "If its still what you want...but we'd have to leave Port Charles and..."

"You had me at yeah." she cuts him off, shaking her head. "Where will we go?"

"I was thinking..." he takes a deep breath, trying his best to fight off the pain. "How would feel about finally making it to Italy?"

"With you?" she could feel the tears forming, but she didn't care. For the first time in a long time, her tears are those of happiness. "It sounds like a dream come true."

Jason could see that he had made the right choice, the look in her eyes brings the past to the front of his mind, reminding him of all the reasons he had fallen in love with her in the first place. The choice to fake his death had been a hard one to make, but it was one that had to be made. Maybe this way, the people he cared about can finally stand on their own two feet and take charge of their lives. Most of all Carly.

And him...well, maybe he and Elizabeth can finally get it right. Before he could think of their future, he had to make sure that everyone from his past will be okay on their own. From what Francis has told him, he knows that everything is going according to plan. Hopefully it stays that way and they'll be seeing the lights of Italy before they know it.

"You should have heard her, man." Johnny shakes his head, a proud smirk on his face. "I thought those two would shit their pants."

"Classy." Francis counters, setting the tea pot down on the stove. "But...I will admit that its good to know she's getting back to the girl we both know and love."

"You're telling me." Johnny agrees, plopping down on a chair. "If only she'd hurry up and forgive us for our part in this."

As a knock sounds at the door, Francis gestures for Johnny to answer it while he sets up the tray to bring into Elizabeth. Moments later, Johnny walks back into the kitchen with Spinelli in tow, gesturing for the kid to take a seat at the counter.

"The money's almost completely transferred. Within the next two days, Stone Cold's accounts will be completely drained." Spinelli informs them. "Except for the one that has been divided between Michael and Morgan."

"You okay, kid?" Francis counters, looking at him curiously.

"The Jackal is quite fine." Spinelli assures, shaking his head. "Lying just isn't one of my strong suits, fair Wise One."

"Don't think of it as lying." Francis counters, resting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Think of it as helping things get back to the way they were meant to be."

"The way they were meant to be?" Spinelli looks at them curiously.

"From the very start, kid, it was always supposed to be Jason and Elizabeth." Johnny chimes in, leaning against the counter. "You are merely helping fix what life's many obstacles have destroyed."

"Helping the hands of fate." Spinelli says in a hushed tone before shaking his head. "I think I can live with that."

"We thought you might." Francis shakes his head before dropping his hand. "We're doing the right thing...trust that."

Placing the kettle on the tray near the cup, Francis brings in the tea to Elizabeth, smiling slightly at the sight of Jason awake in bed. He tells his friend how glad he is to see him awake and responsive before giving the two the time they needed to talk things through. Obviously they had a lot to talk about, making him hope that they could see past everything and accept that its their time now. In spite of everything, they're meant to be together. Now and forever.

"So, you're not mad?" Jason asks her, staring into her beautiful blue eyes.

"I wanted to be...I really did." she admits, reaching up to caress his cheek. "But how can I be? You did this all so you could be with me."

"I'm sorry its taken me this long." he apologizes, letting out a deep breath. "I'm sorry for everything."

"No more apologizing." she says sincerely. "We both made more than our fair share of mistakes...what matters is now."

"God, you're so beautiful." he says softly, reaching up to hold her hand that's caressing his cheek. "I hope you know that I never stopped loving you either."

"If I didn't know that already, I know it now." she says wholeheartedly. "I love you, Jason!"

"I love you."

Leaning in, their lips meet in a soft, warm embrace, their eyes shutting the moment their lips touch. They don't deepen the kiss much, simply acknowledging that their lives have taken a new turn, a turn back to what they had always wanted from the start.

It would take a lot to get them to where they want to be, but it no longer seemed like an impossible feat. For the first time in a long time, it finally feels like they could do. That they could beat the odds and be together. Happy and in love.

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**Reviews politely encouraged! :D Hope you enjoyed!**


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